Nov. 17, 2013

Pittsburgh, Pa. - Lafayette was able to withstand Pittsburgh's second half comeback and went on to beat the Panthers, 48-45. With a two-point lead, Lafayette's defense stood tall, as Danielle Fiacco blocked Pitt's Brianna Kiesel's attempt with under ten seconds to play. Maddie Peabody grabbed the rebound and knocked down 1-of-2 from the charity stripe to give the Leopards the 48-45 victory.

Lafayette moved to 4-0 for the first time since the 2005-06 season. Peabody and Fiacco were the only Leopards in double figures, scoring ten apiece. Jamie O'Hare grabbed a career-high and game-high 11 rebounds, while Emily Homan scored nine points and grabbed 7 boards. Pitt dropped to 2-1 and was led by Brianna Kiesel's game-high 15 points.

Lafayette ran out to a 15-4 lead to start the game with Peabody and Kelly Loughney knocking down threes, while Fiacco added a three point play during the run. Lafayette led throughout the opening frame and went into the half leading, 26-17.

Pitt went on a 7-1 run early in the second half to pull within four, 31-27. Peabody found Emily Homan inside to push the lead to six, 34-28. The next Lafayette possession, Madeline Fahan buried a three, giving the Leopards a 37-30 advantage at the 10:18 mark. Peabody then knocked down a pair from the free throw line to increase the lead to nine, 39-30 with less than ten minutes to play.

After a Pitt basket, Fiacco knocked down a turnaround jumper to make it, 41-32. A four-point spurt by the Panthers made it a five-point game with six minutes to play. Pitt used an 11-4 run to slice into the Leopards lead and pull within two, 45-43, at the 3:32 mark.

With under two minutes to play and the shot clock running down, Peabody drove to the basket but was blocked by Bubbles Anderson to keep the Panther's within two, 45-43. After a defensive stop from the Leopards, Fahan knocked down a jumper from the corner to push the advantage to four, 47-43, with less than a minute to play.

Kiesel knocked down an elbow jumper for Pitt with 33 seconds left, pulling the Panthers back to within two, 47-45, but the Leopards were unable to convert from the free throw line, giving Pitt a chance to tie or take the lead in the final 20 seconds. Fiacco blocked Kiesel's attempt, Peabody grabbed the rebound and was fouled with seven seconds left. Peabody knocked down 1-of-2 from the line, and Pitt's desperation three at the buzzer was off the mark, as the Leopards beat the Panthers, 48-45.

Lafayette returns to action on Sunday Nov. 24, when they travel to Villanova.